Thursday of the Third Week
In today’s readings there is a lot of God commanding and the people not listening. And then God condemning. There is also some miracles being performed and miracles being doubted. And Jesus says “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” Some pretty harsh choices but laid out clearly—follow me, listen to my words or else…
But in our Responsorial Psalm we hear it said a little more gently —If today you hear His voice, harden not your hearts. This advice can be very challenging in today’s world. Where do we hear His voice? In the cry of the poor, in a child’s heart, in a friends need, in a request for assistance, in a witnessed harm, in the eyes of the homeless, or in our own misgivings? Harden not your hearts, says the Lord, but rather follow me, listen to my words. What can we do today to when we hear His voice in our world, in our community, in our daily lives? What have we done today to NOT harden our hearts to the suffering and need all around us? What can we do right now, today, in this very moment? If we all softened our hearts, listened with the “ear of the heart” oh what things we could do! The possibilities are boundless.
Prayer
Good and gracious God, harden not our hearts so that we may hear Your voice in those we love, those we do not love and those we will come to love. Give us the strength to do what You ask of us, the courage to put it into action and wisdom to try again if we fail, knowing all the while You are by our side.
Jeff Vincent, ’93, M’07, P’21, Director, Residential Life and Community Standards and Assistant Dean of Students
First Reading: Jeremiah 7:23-28
Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9
Gospel: Luke 1:14-23
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